Meet the power couple who quit their jobs and made Dragons' Den history, by giving away 5% of their business for £5. Introducing Charlene Mitchell-Hood and Simon Hood, the founders of Sooper Books. Hear their incredible journey, which started as a simple idea to aid their daughter’s bedtime routine, which quickly turned into the world's number one …

A teaser for Season 5. We deep dive into the minds of early-stage founders, who are only a couple of steps ahead. Our unique podcast format, blending interviews with analysis, brings you closer to the action. Our hosts, Dr Becky Sage and Ollie Tiramuragan Collard unpack the business lessons for you. Join us as we tackle taboo topics and feature a d…

The untold story of how one woman's mental health crisis led her to create a revolutionary mindset company for women. Meet Kim Palmer founder of Clementine, a company on a mission to free women from unhelpful thoughts, feelings & expectations. Kim's very personal crisis led her to champion mental well-being and create a movement for women. Clementi…

Get a rare insight into one entrepreneur's remarkable journey to a $1.5B market cap. Discover John Williams's insider strategies and personal challenges as he co-founded and scaled Kudan from startup through to IPO. John's next chapter is building SCVC, a deep tech VC he and partner Harry Destecroix wished they had as founders. This episode is a mu…

Meet Conal Cunningham, a music industry veteran turned pet food innovator, and discover his remarkable business journey of perseverance and innovation. We deep-dive into the origins of Mr Bug, a company redefining pet nutrition through sustainably bred insect protein. This startup story has everything from kitchen experiments to funding struggles a…

Entrepreneurship is a lot like dancing; both require resilience, adaptability, and the courage to step outside your comfort zone. Find out how one startup, SOS Dance Global, is combining these elements to reach the top of the industry. This is a story of empowerment, resilience, and defying the odds. Bonnie Parsons, shares her remarkable journey fr…

Experiencing the collapse of a startup can be devastating, yet for Vasily Alekseenko, it was the catalyst for change. After witnessing the dark side of fundraising, Vasily took matters into his own hands. Rare Founders was born with a simple mission to connect founders and investors. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection o…

The innovator turning forgotten spaces into thriving community hubs. Meet Felix Atkin, founder of tech startup Sharsey - the Airbnb for community spaces. What stemmed from a personal problem of trying to book a local venue for his kids' birthday party has blossomed into a business that has already generated over £1million in bookings. Felix delves …

Meet Kaushal Shah, the impact entrepreneur behind envoPap, who is on a mission to help save the planet while making a profit. He turns agricultural waste into sustainable paper and packaging, and in this conversation, he shares his secrets to success in business and beyond. Key takeaways - Sustainable Innovation: Learn how Kaushal has built out an …

The former MD of Gary Vee's Vayner Media left everything behind to pursue his dream, and the results will leave you inspired. Tune into a thought-provoking journey with Eric Fulwiler, the visionary co-founder behind the growth marketing consultancy Rival. What was the tipping point that compelled him to take the plunge? In reality, there wasn't one…

What comes to mind when you think of the future? Flying cars, human-like robots, time travel? But what about quantum computing? Prepare to have your mind blown. Join us for an exhilarating journey into the future with Phasecraft, a groundbreaking startup that is pushing the boundaries of algorithmic innovation in the quantum realm. Get an insider v…

We are currently facing a public health crisis. In this episode, you'll hear the story of Andy Welsh, the ambitious founder of SRSLY Low Carb. After a wake-up call, he left the corporate world to enter the challenging world of health-focused entrepreneurship. Picture this: You're trying to offer healthier food options in a market that is dominated …

From advising UK Prime Ministers to spearheading green innovation. Mat Ilic takes us from the corridors of Whitehall to the frontlines of green innovation. Discover his journey from Belgrade to becoming a UK visionary. Mat spent his career advising the likes of Boris Johnson and Theresa May. Now, he’s on a mission with Greenworkx to foster environm…

The incredible journey of Hexa Finance is not just a tale of success; it's a true story of how being bold and true to yourself can pay dividends. From a simple idea in 2016 to launching amidst the global lockdown, co-founders Ben Davies and Stu Mason have navigated it all. They dive deep into their journey, sharing the sacrifices made, the critical…

As an early-stage founder, the decision to bootstrap or raise capital can make or break your business. But don't worry, serial entrepreneur Dominic Mills has been there and has the answers you need to succeed. We uncover the power of community, localism, and entrepreneurship as we follow Dominic's journey from exit to founding his latest startup, Y…

Unlock the secrets to overcoming fear, addressing burnout, and finding happiness with the power of coaching. Meet Ashleigh Tennent, founder of More Happi - a platform making coaching affordable for all. Discover how she conquered her fears, recognised burnout, and built a successful coaching business that's changing lives. Key Takeaways - Overcomin…

Depression affects 1 in 6 adults in the UK, with medication being the most common treatment. But what if there was a drug-free approach that actually works? The CEO of Flow Neuroscience, Erin Lee, reveals how their innovative headset is changing the game in mental health treatment. Key Takeaways - Embracing uncertainty is part of the startup journe…

Twin brothers. A unique vision. And a determination to create a global nature brand against all odds. This is the remarkable story of Unyoked: hear from co-founder Cam about his unstoppable startup that has overcome bushfires, floods, and a pandemic to bring sustainable off-grid cabins to the world. Key Takeaways - Creating a category is a bold mov…

Join us on board a real Boeing 727 as we dive deep into the mind of a passionate business leader, entrepreneur, and activist, Johnny Palmer. From software to hospitality to renewable energy, he has built multiple successful ventures and now shares his blueprint for success with you. Are you ready to join the ride? We discuss his core values of disr…

Imagine seeing all your fitness progress in a Magic mirror, powered by AI. That's exactly what entrepreneur Varun has created with his tech-first personal training solution after his personal battles with unhealthy habits. Discover how he overcame investor rejection and built an MVP, plus the sacrifices he made along the way. Key Takeaways - How to…

How one entrepreneur turned his struggles into a thriving business. We speak with serial entrepreneur, co-founder of Heights and host of the Secret Leaders podcast, Dan Murray-Serter. Hear how Dan went from struggling with insomnia and anxiety to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the world of nutrition and wellbeing. Discover Dan's insights on …

Do you dream of being an angel investor but don't know where to begin? Learn from the co-founder of The Angel Investing School, Andy Ayim , about how he is democratising the world of angel investing and why being a non-conformist can lead to great leaps in learning. Find out how Andy's backpacking trip at 21 sparked personal and professional growth…

Get an inside look at the mind of a successful serial entrepreneur and investor. Former Dragon, Piers Linney shares his upbringing, mistakes, and what really drives him in business. In this interview, he shares his personal story and key insights on starting and growing businesses that will fascinate and motivate any founder or aspiring entrepreneu…

Some say the best ideas come over a drink, and for these lifelong friends, tequila sparked their entrepreneurial journey. But there’s more to tequila than 3am shooters, sucking a lemon and licking salt. They went all in, quit their day jobs, and went on a wild Mexican adventure. Here's the inspiring story of how they turned a simple idea into a suc…

From tragedy to triumph. How a sister's life-saving transplant led to the creation of a natural skincare business. By Sarah London, stands for something much larger, their deeply personal story has sparked a strong sense of mission and purpose when it comes to business - which shines through in this conversation. Key Takeaways - Learn how to shake …

From losing millions to founding a sustainable fashion brand, Responsible. Hear from Mark Dowds about how to bounce back and find success. Mark is a serial founder and super angel investor who knows the entrepreneurial rollercoaster like the back of his hand. Mark shares his insights on investing in early-stage startups, overcoming entrepreneurial …

Discover the secret to business success straight from a former intelligence expert. Meet Steve Mason, former Technical Director at GCHQ. Having defended the UK from cyber attacks, he now runs Nova Blue, helping businesses stay safe. But this isn’t a tech conversation - in this episode, Steve shares the key ingredients that help him make business de…

Unlocking the future of work: How Tally Workspace is revolutionising the way we work. Since Covid, hybrid working has become the norm and workplaces have evolved Laura Beales and her co-founder Jules Robertson, saw the potential to create a platform that makes finding a workspace easy, wherever, whenever. Laura also delves into her biggest failures…

Rum entrepreneur Edmund Wood quit his job to pursue his dream of starting his own business. He didn’t have a clue what it would be, but he decided he had to ‘leap and look’ for an idea he was passionate about— rum. Belgrove was born. It’s a story about being bold, quick to adapt when plans go pear-shaped and learning you have to be kind to yourself…

Rupal Patel, former agent, now serial entrepreneur, shares her honest and personal journey of the challenges she faced and how she kept going in high stakes, high-pressurised environments in the field and in the boardroom. Rupal reveals how the CIA mindset teaches you to be resilient and persistent to achieve your goals. She also shares some great …

Hear from Mark Panay - Co-founder and MD of one of Bristol’s most prolific software agencies , Simpleweb. Learn Mark's highs and lows of running a business, and how his natural curiosity and fascination for learning has shaped his career. Discover what Mark thinks makes a good start-up investment, and what he sees as the biggest challenges of being…

Meet Simon Squibb, serial entrepreneur, investor and founder of The Purposeful Project. Simon’s mission is to help and inspire 10,000,000 people to startup and scale a business for free. He believes there should be a Start Up Centre to replace the Job Centre - and as an angel investor and entrepreneur, Simon’s got the credentials to make this a rea…

Meet Kelli Fairbrother, co-founder and CEO of xigxag. She has the vision to make audiobooks more engaging. xigxgag has taken on a big global player and forged ahead developing a listen-and-read book, called the x-book. Kelli started in the US army, a place she credits with teaching her the grit and determination required to be an entrepreneur and w…

In an age where we have a constant stream of personal data on our wrists, and home testing has become second nature, one UK company is nicely poised to ride the crest of a wellbeing wave. Forth is a digital health business pioneering personalised biomarker profiling. Its founder and CEO, Sarah Bolt, caught up with Founded & Grounded to talk about h…

“If you do what you don't love, that's stress. If you do what you love, that's passion.” Author, Podcaster, Motivational Speaker...and for good reason. Jeff Dewing has a story to tell. He's seen it all in the world of Facilities Management - good and bad. Restless, and far from content with maintaining the status quo, Jeff founded Cloudfm to disrup…

They started out in 2018 with no business qualifications, marketing experience, or entrepreneurial background - simply a shared passion and a big idea. 4 years on, they're the pioneering start-up taking drinks bottles to a new and truly sustainable level. Through their company S'wheat, Jake Elliott-Hook and Amee Ritchie have created the world's fir…

What are Venture Capitalists? How do they operate? And what can founders learn from them in the pursuit of backing for their big idea? In this episode, we enter the real dragons' den and put a human face to this influential but little-understood world - in this case, Rob Moffat from Balderton. In a revealing conversation with Ollie, Rob gives us th…

"You can't buy culture". In this episode, Founded & Grounded visit the Lost & Grounded brewery and their co-founder Alex Troncoso, as we return to the world of craft beer. With new breweries and their tap rooms popping up on virtually every street corner, it's impossible to ignore the rise in popularity of craft beer. Equally apparent has been the …

The world of insurance is a grey area for many people in more ways than one, so allow Sam White to inject some colour to the proceedings... Setting up in business following a chain of life-changing events, Sam now presides over two successful insurance companies in the UK and Australia who are explicitly putting the consumer at the heart of their p…

Besides climate change, the issue of microplastics is one of the biggest environmental challenges facing society. Passionate to put his engineering talent to use, but unable to find a business that matched the scale of his ambitions, Adam Root founded Matter - a company built on the principle of capturing, harvesting and recycling microplastics. In…

"Information is abundant... wisdom less so." It's no secret that access to knowledge and mentorship is fundamental to success in many aspects of life, not least business. But, on a Diverse Founders Programme, it became apparent to Dayo Akinrinade that these all-important connections were held within privileged circles - so she decided to set up Wis…

Meet Steve Neil... 'Brand Protector' and director of The Trademark Helpline. Steve's mission is to ensure that business owners look after their intellectual property and the brands they've started from scratch. But he had to balance that with the challenges of becoming a business owner himself - a tale worthy of a reality TV series. It's '2-for-1' …

There are lots of reasons why people become entrepreneurs. Nav Sawhney had three, instilled within him from a young age, and these inspired him to develop a product that would enhance everyday life for the consumers of tomorrow. As our latest guest entrepreneur, Nav explains to Founded & Grounded how the plight of refugees, the central role of wome…

After becoming a Mum, Dominique Woolf wanted to take life in a whole new direction and literally bring some spice to the proceedings. So, using her sales background and Thai heritage, and winning over the local farmers' market in North London, The Woolf's Kitchen got cooking. In our first episode of 2022, Dominique talks through the reality of runn…

Verity owned a sandwich business. Charlie ran nightclub nights. Both were passionate about fast food. Neither had run a takeaway before. 6 weeks later they signed the lease for their first premises, and Oowee was born. In this episode we cover the world of fast food, charting the rise of this Bristol-based business that responded to changing consum…

One piece of advice? "Just do it." Meet Ally. He's got a lot of time for meaningful workplace benefits - less so for Advisors. Ally's the founder of Juno - a business at the vanguard of the wellbeing economy, with the goal of changing how people interact with their employers. An entrepreneur simply because he had to be, Ally shares with Founded & G…

If 'too much information, too little time' is the great problem of our age, this business has a 5-minute solution. Patrick Walker is a veteran of the 'big tech' scene having held senior positions with Facebook and YouTube. But he was moved to go it alone to address the issue of sheer volume of content, and 'hack knowledge' to provide users with bri…

How does it feel to be suicidal? One man who knows is Nick Hussey, founder of Frahm - the business behind high-quality, long-lasting jackets for the real world. Nick stared into the abyss after the collapse of his first company but, with the help of his wife and an old school friend, came back to start and succeed with a new enterprise. True to the…

"If you have a great product, your business should succeed." We meet Edgar Thoemmes, co-founder of Virtually There and Canton Tea, about how two very different businesses steadily grew and found their audiences. Edgar describes the seismic impact of Covid (and how Virtually There anticipated the boom in flexible working), how taking the long term v…

To kick off Series 3, we meet Banasa Williams - co-founder of Ksoni, who produce plastic-free bathroom wellness products such as shampoo and bodywash. With the global environment high on the agenda this autumn, Banasa talks about the "payoff" required for products and brands to truly call themselves sustainable. We also get to hear about the challe…